Understanding the development trends of domestic petrochemical equipment in one article

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Understand the development trends of domestic petrochemical equipment in one article. Understand the development trends of domestic petrochemical equipment in one article. The project \"Development and Production of Million-Ton-Class Ethylene Cryogenic Tanks\" undertaken by Hangzhou Oxygen Generator Group is based on the 1 million tons per year ethylene project in Tianjin and the 1 million tons per year ethylene project at Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd. 1) Gas compressors. 　　1 　 Achievements in petrochemical industry equipment 　 A number of enterprises specializing in equipment manufacturing have emerged. 　 For example, China National First Heavy Machinery Corporation (large-scale heat exchangers, 1,400-ton hydrogenation reactors, 2,000-ton coal liquefaction reactors) ； Shenyang Blower Group Co., Ltd. (large-scale ethylene plants with a capacity of 1 million tons, oil refining plants with a capacity of 10 million tons, PTA plants with a capacity of 600,000 tons, and methanol plants with a capacity of 1 million tons – large compressors for these processes) ； Large-scale long-distance pipeline compressors ； 125-ton high-thrust reciprocating compressor) ； Hangzhou Oxygen Machine Group Co., Ltd. (complete sets of air separation equipment, large-scale ethylene cold boxes, vacuum storage tanks, various turbo compressors, natural gas compressors, centrifugal liquid pumps) ； Xi’an Shanggu Power Co., Ltd. (over 40 nitric acid production units) ； PTA units with a capacity of 600,000 tons), and so on. 　　Certain successes have been achieved in the development of major petrochemical equipment.
1. The “three key machines” for ethylene production
Shenyang Blower Group successfully completed the development of the charge gas centrifugal compressor, propylene refrigeration centrifugal compressor (driven by a steam turbine with a shaft power of 33,000 kW), and ethylene refrigeration centrifugal compressor for a 1-million-ton/year ethylene plant. These machines have been installed in the 1-million-ton/year ethylene plants operated by Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company, Sinopec Tianjin Petrochemical Company, and PetroChina Fushun Petrochemical Company’s 800,000-ton/year ethylene plant respectively, and are now in full operation. It has also taken on the task of manufacturing the \"three units\" for an ethylene production capacity of 1.2 million tons per year for Wuhan Petrochemical Company. 　　2. PTA process air compressor units
Shaanxi Blower Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Shaanxi Blower) and Shenyang Blower have respectively developed PTA process air compressor units with capacities of 600,000 tons/year and 1,000,000 tons/year ； Since the first PTA compression unit in China, developed and produced by Shaanxi Gear, was put into operation at Chongqing Pengwei Petrochemical Co., Ltd.’s 600,000-ton/year PTA plant, all its performance indicators have met the customer’s requirements. Various operational indicators are approaching international advanced levels ； The process air compressors for 1 million tons/year PTA plants have also been domestically produced and successfully applied to the 1.2 million tons/year PTA plant of Jiangsu Hailun Petrochemical Co., Ltd. 　　3. New hydrogen compressor: The large reciprocating hydrogen compressor developed in 2014 by the Reciprocating Machinery Division of Shenyang Turbine Machinery Co., Ltd. for Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical’s 3.3 million tons per year residue hydroprocessing unit has been in operation steadily for over 10,000 hours; all its performance indicators meet the requirements specified in the design specifications. When compared with the DeLaval 150 compressor, a globally renowned compressor manufacturer that operates simultaneously, the domestic 4M150 compressor exhibits similar performance parameters in terms of vibration, noise, and efficiency; in some cases, it even outperforms the DeLaval compressor. What is even more noteworthy is that the compressor has not had its vulnerable components such as air valves replaced since it was put into operation, which indicates that China has reached a new level in the design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning of large reciprocating compressors. It fills a gap in the domestic market, with its product reaching the technical standards of similar international products. 　　4. Extrusion granulator Large-scale mixing and extrusion granulation units – internationally, only a few companies are capable of manufacturing them, including Germany’s W&P Company, Japan’s JSW, Japan’s COBE, and the United States’ Farrell Company ； Dalian Rubber and Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. has successfully developed a co-rotating twin-screw extrusion granulation unit with an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons for Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical Company; the motor has a power rating of 7,100 kW and the screw diameter is 320 mm. After more than 8,000 hours of continuous operation, all performance indicators met the requirements specified in the design specifications, putting an end to China’s long-term reliance on imported large-scale extrusion granulation units. Subsequently, Dalian Rubber and Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. took on the task of developing the extrusion granulation units for a 250,000 tons per year polyethylene plant owned by Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Company. The unit has a total mass of 140 tons and a production capacity of 45 tons per hour. It was officially put into operation in 2012. 　　5. Ethylene cold box　　The project “Development and research of a million-ton-level ethylene cold box” undertaken by Hangzhou Oxygen Machine Group relies on the 1-million-ton/year ethylene project in Tianjin and the 1-million-ton/year ethylene project at Zhenhai Refining & Chemical as its supporting projects. And different solutions were adopted based on the distinct characteristics of the two sets of devices ； The million-ton ethylene cold boxes in Tianjin utilize the binary refrigerant refrigeration process technology developed by Lummus Corporation of the United States. There are a total of 3 cold boxes; their maximum design pressure reaches 5.4 MPa. The largest cold box has external dimensions of 6500 mm × 4200 mm × 33000 mm, with a total mass of approximately 265 tons. These cold boxes can facilitate heat exchange for 14 streams of fluid simultaneously. The Zhenhai 1 million tons per year ethylene cryogenic tank adopts the two-phase refrigerant cooling technology provided by the American company Ruums. It consists of 4 cryogenic tanks in total – one large and three smaller ones. The maximum design pressure is 6.0 MPa. The largest of these tanks has dimensions of 7400 mm × 4000 mm × 30000 mm, with a total weight of around 300 tons; it is capable of handling heat exchange for 16 streams simultaneously. The successful development of million-ton-class ethylene cryogenic tanks has broken the monopoly held by a few foreign companies in this market. It is not only of great significance for improving the equipment standards in China’s ethylene industry, but it also provides guidance for the development of cryogenic tank equipment in other sectors such as natural gas liquefaction, large-scale fertilizer plants, and CO deep-cold separation. Hangyang has emerged as a rising force in the global cryogenic tank market. 　　6. Ethylene cryogenic spheres: In response to the need for domestic production of ethylene plants, Hefei General Machinery Research Institute independently developed design and manufacturing technologies for large-scale cryogenic steel spheres at -50°C. It successfully overcame technical challenges related to cryogenic materials, sheet metal forming, welding, and heat treatment at the construction site, thereby ending China’s reliance on imported large-scale cryogenic ethylene spheres and filling a gap in domestic capabilities. Domestically produced large cryogenic spherical tanks have been widely used in petrochemical enterprises. 　　7. Cracking Furnace In 2007, Maoming Gravity Petrochemical Machinery Co., Ltd. successfully developed a single ethylene cracking furnace with an annual capacity of 150,000 tons for CNPC’s Dushanzi Petrochemical Company’s 1 million tons per year ethylene production facility. The technology used was at the international advanced level, and a production line covering welding, assembly, heat treatment, and pressure testing was established. 　　8. Reactors 　In China, various key reactors have been developed successively, including hydrogen cracking reactors for 10 million tons per year oil refining units, continuous reforming reactors for 2.4 million tons per year, threaded lock-ring high-pressure heat exchangers, 300,000 tons per year ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol production reactors used in 1 million tons per year ethylene plants, 450,000 tons per year polypropylene slurry loop reactors, 300,000 tons per year polyethylene vapor-phase reactors, 1 million tons per year PTA oxidation reactors, and 200,000 tons per year styrene dehydrogenation reactors. These reactors filled domestic gaps and were successfully applied in actual projects. 　　9. Pumps for the petrochemical industry 　　From plants with a production capacity of 300,000 tons per year of ethylene, 5 million tons per year of refined oil, and 300,000 tons per year of synthetic ammonia, to those with capacities of 1 million tons per year of ethylene, 10 million tons per year of refined oil, and 450,000 tons per year of synthetic ammonia, domestic pump manufacturers have consistently pursued the use of domestically produced pumps. Currently, the proportion of domestically manufactured process pumps used in petrochemical facilities with capacities of 10 million tons per year for refined oil, 1 million tons per year for ethylene, and those involved in coal chemical processing is 90%, 85%, and 80% respectively. 　　10. Large-scale air separation equipment: In 2013, Hangzhou Oxygen Generator Group Co., Ltd. signed contracts with China Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group Co., Ltd. for the design, supply, and maintenance of 6 sets of air separation equipment with a capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per hour. In terms of contract value, air separation grade, and total oxygen production capacity, this order ranks among the top in the world. 　　2 　 Development trends in petrochemical equipment 　 A number of enterprises specializing in equipment manufacturing have emerged 　 1. Development trends of equipment: 　 1) Larger size, higher pressure, greater efficiency, as well as handling of high sulfur and high acid conditions ； 　　2) New materials, new structures, new processes, new technologies ； 　　3) Integrated design, manufacturing, and use ； 　　4) Safe, stable, long-cycle, full-load, and optimally operated ； 　　2. General equipment for large-scale oil refining 　　1) Gas compressors 　　These are key devices for generating pressure energy and transporting gases; they include turbine compressors and reciprocating compressors. Japan, the United States, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and other countries have relatively advanced design and manufacturing technologies in this area. Over the years, through domestic development or by overcoming various challenges after introduction, significant breakthroughs have been achieved. Among them, the horizontal split centrifugal compressors and axial flow compressors are close to the advanced level of similar international products. 　　2) Centrifugal compressors 　　The international trend is toward larger capacities, with the development of compressor products that are high-pressure, low-flow, low-noise, and highly efficient. There are over ten domestic manufacturing enterprises, notably Shenyang Blower Works, Shanghai Blower Works, and Shaanxi Blower Works. Domestically produced centrifugal compressors with high technology, high parameters, high quality, and special specifications still cannot meet the demand; approximately 50% of them must be imported from abroad. Furthermore, there is still a gap compared to foreign countries in terms of technical level, quality, and completeness, and no mature experience exists in the design and manufacture of large gas compressors. 　　3) Heat exchangers 　　With the trend toward larger sizes and higher efficiency, heat exchangers abroad are also becoming larger, and there is a development towards lower temperature differences and lower pressure losses. Advancements in heat exchanger finned tubes include T-fin tubes, low-thread fin tubes, diamond-shaped fin tubes, scaled tubes, aluminum porous surface heat transfer tubes, helical groove tubes, spirally twisted oval tubes, and more. 　　3. Vigorously develop high-end equipment manufacturing to achieve a strategic transformation from scale to strength. 　　Developing the high-end equipment manufacturing industry is a crucial measure for promoting the transformation and upgrading of the industry’s economy and achieving a transition from being large in scale to being strong. At present, five major sectors including offshore engineering equipment and intelligent manufacturing equipment have been identified as key areas for China’s high-end equipment manufacturing industry ； We will focus on developing large-scale oil refining and petrochemical facilities, such as those with a capacity of tens of millions of tons for oil refining and one million tons for ethylene production. By offering differentiated, high-value-added products and technologies, we aim to drive development and accelerate the growth of the high-end equipment manufacturing industry ； Standardization and modularization are tactical measures to transform \"Made in China\" into \"Created in China\". Once again, with the advancement of oil processing technologies, the simplest equipment used in crude oil distillation – such as towers, furnaces, heat exchangers, pumps, and tanks – is no longer sufficient to meet the new requirements. Catalytic reaction processes have become dominant, giving rise to gas-solid fluidized bed reactors and liquid-gas-solid three-phase reactors. Large-scale low-temperature spherical tanks (at -30°C and 1.72 MPa) represent the direction of development for the future. Finally, with the increasing variety of polyolefins, there is a need for many new pieces of equipment that involve high technical challenges – ethylene cracking furnaces, plate-fin coolers, ultra-high pressure reactors at 350 MPa, propylene loop reactors, various polymerization reactors equipped with stirrers, and heavy-duty screw discharge centrifuges ； The key “three machines” required for producing millions of tons of ethylene – the pyrolysis gas compressor, the propylene compressor, and the ethylene compressor ； Million-ton-class large ethylene centrifugal compressors – 45,000 KW per unit, requiring high reliability and long service life. Furthermore, among general petrochemical equipment, 300,000 tons per year of synthetic ammonia production plants and large-scale air separation units with a capacity of 60,000 cubic meters per hour represent promising areas for future research and development. 　　Regarding the development of efficient equipment, such as cogeneration systems in large enterprises, and the hierarchical utilization of energy (equipment for generating steam through gas turbine power generation, high-temperature gas purification equipment) ； High-temperature heat recovery, catalytic turbine power generation from flue gas at 700°C, and steam production via waste heat boilers ； Low-temperature heat recovery, utilization of heat sources below 300°C (heat pumps, high-efficiency exchangers for low temperature differences) ； Chemical energy recovery in CO boilers ； Pressure energy recovery in hydraulic turbines for high-pressure liquids ； Optimize heat exchange networks, steam networks, etc. 　　4. Integration of production, R&D, design, and manufacturing
By fostering collaboration among industry, academia, research institutions, and end-users, we strive to promote innovative development in the manufacturing sector. On the one hand, for different types of spontaneous industry-university-research cooperation networks or industrial R&D alliances, **it is necessary to enhance innovation in investment and financing mechanisms, and to promote their development through guidance and support, thereby facilitating the connection between enterprises, financial institutions, and social funds** ； On the other hand, led by key enterprises in the industry, and in collaboration with universities and research institutions with strong scientific research capabilities, various forms of industry-university-research development alliances are established to fully leverage the resources and efforts of all parties involved, thereby advancing the technology research, development, and application of \"Made in China 2025\". 　　5. Vigorously improve the digitalization and intelligence level of oil equipment. Taking advantage of the new wave of scientific and technological and industrial revolutions as well as changes in the global manufacturing landscape, it is necessary to promote the deep integration of next-generation information technologies with the oil equipment manufacturing industry, thereby continuously raising the technical and manufacturing standards of such equipment to meet the needs of offshore oil exploration and development in China. 　　6. Strengthening the manufacturing foundation The overall level of the “four foundations” – core components and parts, key basic materials, advanced manufacturing processes, and industrial technology foundations – plays a crucial role in determining the quality of products. These elements constitute the basis for improving the quality of Chinese-made goods, and therefore deserve great attention. 　　Guided by professionalism and based on standardization, we will strengthen the industrial foundation of Made in China. At the same time, efforts should be made to promote and apply advanced design technologies, develop design tool software, and establish a platform for sharing design resources ； Formulate policies to encourage innovative design, shifting from processing and designing on behalf of others to exporting branded products of one’s own creation. 　　7. Make efforts to expand overseas markets in order to achieve greater growth for the industry. China’s oil equipment offers price advantages, being generally lower than international prices. Some devices that require large quantities and have relatively low technical complexity are actively expanding their share of the international market.